Hurstpierpoint Players provide non-stop Shakespeare

Hurstpierpoint Players are planning a repeat of their successful Non-stop Shakespeare event as a fundraiser to refurbish the Players Theatre in Hurstpierpoint.

The event starts at 7.30pm on Thursday, October 12, and runs until sometime on Sunday, October 15.

A Players spokesperson said: “Local star Judy Parfitt will launch the event on the Thursday evening if the shooting schedule of Call The Midwife allows.

“Gwyneth Powell and actor Alan Leith will also be taking part in the readings

“As happened in 1999, it is our intention to get all of 37 plays read in this 70-hour marathon and we are inviting our members, friends, schools, professional actors, neighbouring amateur dramatic groups, in fact anyone who is interested, to get involved.

“The readings will go on 24 hours a day from 7.30pm on Thursday, October 12th, until whatever time we finish on Sunday 15th.

“If you don’t want to read, please put this in your diary anyway to come along and support those that do by putting some cash in the collecting boxes. We are hoping that, as last time, some of the readers will do the same.

“We contacted the Shakespeare Centre Library looking for advice on how long we might have to allow if we were to read right through.

“They said: ‘You deserve a huge amount of money if you’re going to read through all of Shakespeare’s plays! Going on the productions done here by the RSC, and taking at least half an hour off their running time, it would take anywhere between 60 - 80 hours to go through all the plays, depending on your texts and the speed of your readers.’

“The Players Theatre’s building was converted to a theatre in 1976 and it has been apparent for a while now that the 200-year-old theatre building is in need of some significant maintenance and refurbishment work.

“The seats, for example, were already 30 years old when they were installed and there is an opportunity to sponsor one of the new seats and have a plaque with your name on attached to the back of it. Call Michael Squire on 01273 833264 for details.”

The Theatre is used by Hurstpierpoint Players, Hurst Village Cinema, Centre Stage Children’s theatre, as well as many other theatre and musical shows throughout the year.